


Fall in Love (NorIce)

by FengSuave



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: 18+, APH NorIce, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Not Related, Artwork drawn by me, Artwork included now!, Drama & Romance, Emil Steilsson - Freeform, Emil Steilsson-Freeform, Introverted Lovers, Lemon in later chapter, Lukas Bondevik-Freeform, M/M, Main pairing is Norway and Iceland, Male Homosexuality, Mutual Pining, NorIce, Nordics, Roommates to lovers, Slow Burn, Taboo, They are not brothers in this story but it still has that taboo vibe in there, roommate romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:42:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24289885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FengSuave/pseuds/FengSuave
Summary: Modern Roommate AU. Falling for his roommate was not his intention. Quiet and reserved, will he overcome his shyness and express his burning desire for his roommate or will it result in unrequited love? Just when things were flowing smoothly, someone disrupts the current. Will he fight or flee?
Relationships: Iceland & Norway (Hetalia), Iceland/Norway (Hetalia)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 51





	1. Chapter One

[ ](https://imgur.com/kk61QU1)

_It can be great. It can be good, but it can get worse before it gets better._

That thought stuck to Emil like permanent glue when he found himself sitting on a bumpy train seat with a coal colored suitcase between his legs two months after turning eighteen. His thumbs tapped and slid against the slick, bright screen of his mobile, rereading over his messages with his new roommate, Lukas Bondevik.

Emil glanced away from his phone momentarily, a softened expression gracing his features when his destination was announced over the train's intercom. He stepped off of the train, squinting through the sheets of rain that poured down without warning. He hurried past the impatient people getting soaked from the downpour and managed to follow the umbrella-clad pedestrians crossing the crosswalk to his destination a block away.

 _The apartment should be close_ , Emil thought as his suitcase's wheels wobbled over the random rocks and cracks on the drenched sidewalk beneath his shoes. He was right. Apartment number 103 was at the entrance past the landlord's office. The worn, tattered wooden sides of the apartment buildings caught his attention through the ruthless rainstorm. No longer interested in studying the aesthetics of his surroundings, he hastened his pace to the front door to escape the elements.

After knocking twice against the door under an awning, his new roommate appeared before him. He wasn't sure what he had expected, but he was astonished.

Almond shaped eyes that concealed secrets underneath the indigo blue hue. Wavy, wheat blonde hair that framed a delicate face; a wispy fringe on the right and a golden cross securing hair back on the left, a sharp jawline, and a cool indifference. Pale rose petal lips that curved ever so gently. His nerves jumped under his skin.

Rain water dripped from the ends of his hair; ash blonde bangs sealed to his forehead like cling wrap. He looked like a wet dog in front of his dry, entrancing roommate.

"You must be Emil?" Lukas inquired, opening the door wider to grab his soaked suitcase. "I hope the trip wasn't bad... but by the sight of it, luck wasn't on your side."

 _Wow, this guy is pretty snarky._ "Yeah. It's no big deal. I'm here, aren't I?" Emil shot back playfully as the door closed behind him. He unlaced his shoes in the short hallway and grimaced at the slick clothes against his slender frame. Shivering noticeably, he glanced up and noticed Lukas's furrowed brows and small frown forming. Lukas turned around and Emil saw a curl that seemed to float behind his head. It was strange. Weird, but cute.

A sandalwood aroma attracted Emil instantly; a hospitable vibe that eased anxiety. It was pleasant and matched the furniture.

It was a spacious living room with rustic wall art, a flat screen television nailed to the wall, a sailor blue L-shaped couch, and another creamy lounge chair adjacent to the rectangular glass top table. An overall minimalist approach. The kitchen was petite, but that was not a shortcoming. It had all of the essentials.

 _Straight to the point_ , Emil noted as he straightened up and followed Lukas further into the living room with the small kitchen diagonal from where he stood.

"I'll help you put your things away," the taller male disrupted Emil's musings. After Emil shivered again, Lukas advised, "Go take a shower before you catch a cold." He pointed at the bathroom door straight ahead where they were; two bedrooms separated by it. Yeah, he needed to take a warm shower unless he wanted to start his new life with a week-long cold.

Later that night, Emil and Lukas settled down in front of the television after eating a home-cooked meal that Lukas made earlier that day. If there was something about Lukas that Emil was sure of, it was that the man could cook.

While the television droned on about the weather's forecast, Lukas's eyes studied Emil next to him. He was deeply invested in his cellphone and mindlessly munching on black licorice, crinkling the bag every time his hand dipped in and out of it. His thumbs danced fiercely over the screen, grabbing Lukas's full attention.

"Do you want some wine?" Lukas offered, trying to get his new roommate's mind off of whatever was causing him distress.

"Yeah, that's fine." He grounded out at the cellphone in his shaky hands. Lukas paused shortly, pulling himself from the couch, and strolled over to the kitchen. He busied his hands, rummaging through the various selections of alcohol. He grasped the cabinet door that concealed the wine glasses and pulled out two of them. Carefully balancing everything in his hands, he set them on the counter top.

Emil tossed his phone aside with a permanent scowl. His evening was officially ruined. Releasing an exhale through his nostrils, he watched Lukas place the crimson liquid filled glasses down on the crystal glass coffee table.

"Thanks," he muttered, cautiously plucking it by the stem from the table. His hand cupped the bowl of the glass while Lukas claimed a space on the couch near him.

"Cheers," Lukas said, raising his glass, "to a new life, Emil." They clinked their wine glasses together, causing a drop of wine to splash onto Emil's loose fitted black shirt. He brushed it off; it wasn't like anyone could see the stain.

"Cheers, Lukas." Emil repeated after taking a hearty swig of the wine and sighing loudly. Then, it hit him. He cringed at the bitterness and recovered when he heard Lukas snort behind his glass.

After they finished their first glass of wine, Emil's mobile phone shrieked and threw a tantrum in his pocket. This made him feel more stressed. Why wouldn't they just let him have peace?

Lukas was in the kitchen, fixing them another glass of wine. A sweet wine. Pink Moscato. Emil didn't appear to enjoy the bitter, red wine.

"Hello?" Emil reluctantly answered the phone after the third ring and groaned out when he heard the voice on the other side.

"Emil, you left out of nowhere. Like, really? Why did you leave me? That's totally uncool."

 _Just leave me alone_. Emil held the phone close to his ear, eyes floating to the ceiling, "I don't have to explain myself."

Leon scoffed and then chuckled condescendingly, "Your loss."

 _Your loss._ The comment struck a nerve in Emil. His thin shoulders tensed up and his brows lowered as his chest puffed out, losing his cool composure.

"Leon-" He paused, inhaling and exhaling. He was displeased with Leon's attitude. "Don't be so stupid! Just lose my number already."

The unforeseen outburst caught Lukas off guard. After Emil tapped on the red icon, Lukas placed the chilled wine glass down for him.

"Everything okay, Emil?" He did not mean to appear nosy. He wanted to reach forward. It was tempting. It wouldn't hurt to comfort him? He took his chances and settled for patting Emil on his ridged shoulder.

 _Once, twice- okay, pull away._ Lukas inwardly held his breath when Emil lowered his face, bangs curtaining his eyes. His mouth twitched as he fidgeted with his phone.

"I don't want to talk about it." His eyes glistened as he threw his head back to stare up at the ceiling to hold back his frustration. He was discontented with his past. He clutched his forehead with his other hand, letting out a sigh.

Lukas respected him; he would talk when he was comfortable. Besides, it was their first evening together- living together, just roommates- nothing more than that.

 _Well_ , Lukas reflected, _he did enjoy my home cooked meal and apparently is not fond of red wine._

That's all he really knew. Emil's past? Not a clue.

Lukas settled on saying nothing and cheered again before gulping down his favorite wine. Emil sipped at his wine and hummed in delight. This observation made Lukas purse his plush lips from smiling.

_We like the same wine._

"Mmm," Emil licked the corner of his mouth after finishing the last drop, "I wan' 'nother one."

Two glasses of wine later, Lukas was feeling lightheaded. Somehow, Emil ended up rolling on the floor in a daze. He had no cares in the world, although his phone continued shrieking for his undivided attention. Cheeks flushed a rosy red, limbs splayed out like a starfish, and head lost in the clouds. Emil had _no_ idea that he could get _this_ inebriated from wine.

Lukas sighed out, uncrossing his legs as he felt his body warming up, watching through blurred vision at the goofball on the floor. Although he was not a stranger to wine's effects, he did feel lethargic to a degree. Shoulders slumping, Lukas's eyes slid shut as a satisfying sigh escaped past his numb lips.

"Lukas… Lukas, yer the niceshh person I ever met, y'know tha'?" Emil slurred out, cheeks burning when he watched Lukas crack his eyes open to acknowledge him. "C'mere and…" He slapped the vacant spot next to him, "an' sit with me." Emil was too straightforward for Lukas's liking.

_Maybe drinking wasn't such a great idea after all._

"Emil, y'should… um," Lukas couldn't manage his focus as he was pulled down onto the floor by Emil. "Wait… we need t' get rest… rest Emil."

Lust was visible in Emil's eyes. His lips were pouty, jutting out childishly. Breath teasing him with notes of peach and apricot. His long, dark lashes dusted his rose blushed cheeks, fluttering like a butterfly's wings. Both of their faces were stained the same color as the wine they drank.

Lukas shook his head while his heart hammered against his rib cage. Emil's hands were uncomfortably close to his body.

They just met today!

He restrained himself, pushing Emil's chest back as he hardened his eyes. "Emil, y'need sleep."

"Why not…?" He probed, dejected on the floor. He watched through fogged vision as Lukas stood to his feet, shifting side to side. His hand reached out to help Emil up with clumsy footsteps. Emil grasped Lukas's hand and yanked him down to fall on top of his body.

"Emil, pleas' don' be... difficult." Lukas peeled himself off of Emil and stood up awkwardly, clutching onto the arm of the sofa. His balance wobbled while moving over to his bedroom's door. "Or ya could sleep on th' floor… but, I… uh, I'm gonna sleep. G'night."

Emil's eyelids felt heavy; laughter ceased and the loneliness resumed in mere seconds after Lukas shut the door behind him with a soft click. Pitch darkness surrounded his world as he pondered through his drunken state: _What have I done?_

* * *

Summertime in this town was known for its notorious rainstorms. Relentless rain pattered against the living room window and heavy footsteps imprinted their presence on the ceiling above Emil. Hardwood flooring pressed against his clammy face and the morning chill blew across his skin. The sweet aroma of coffee wafted through the air.

"My head…" Emil groaned, clutching at his pulsing forehead and standing up to his feet.

"Lukas?" He called out, only to receive silence in return. Once he realized that he was the only one awake in the apartment, he trudged over to the compact bathroom situated between the two bedrooms and disrobed down to his birthday suit.

Gradually waking up with a yawn and stretch, Lukas held his forehead. His mouth was parched and he regretted not drinking water before bed. On the way out of his bedroom, Lukas heard the shower running. He really needed to use the bathroom, but when he clutched the doorknob and twisted it, he found that it was locked. He shrugged and strolled over to grab a glass of water to lubricate his throat. Finishing the drink off, he placed the glass down on the kitchen counter and waltzed over to the patio.

Opening the patio sliding door, he stepped out onto the concrete and let his stream mix with the rainwater. Nobody could see him anyway. Returning back inside and sliding the door shut, he stepped over to the coffee pot that brewed his coffee automatically in the kitchen and poured himself a cup.

He always relished the sound of rain drumming against the large curtained living room window. The raindrops cascading from the second floor balcony reminded him of the crystal beaded curtains that he used when he was a teenager for his bedroom door.

Oh, the best part about the downpour was that the footsteps above were drowned out. It was ideal for people living on the first floor. As he nursed the mug of coffee in his hand, he thought about what he planned out for the entire week.

After showering off yesterday's grime, Emil turned off the water and dipped out of the shower to grab one of Lukas's clean, peach colored towels. Water raced down his legs and arms, splashing against the yellow tiled bathroom flooring. The bathroom was small; a sink, toilet, and shower that could barely fit two people.

Toweling off quickly, he rubbed on his deodorant and then realized that he forgot to bring a clean set of clothes. So, he wrapped the towel around his waist and felt it slip down to rest just above his hips. Grumbling to himself for not thinking ahead, he tightened it around himself and pushed the door open.

His bedroom was to the left while Lukas's bedroom was to the right; their bedroom doors faced each other. The bathroom was situated between the bedrooms. Turning the brassy doorknob, he disappeared inside of his brand new sanctuary.

Inside of his bedroom, it would be described as rather barren yet simplistic. Scanning from the left side of the bedroom from the doorway, he had a large wooden dresser with a mirror attached to it. Straight ahead, a desk with an office chair stood in front of a short, curtained window. Flushed against the right wall, his generic twin-sized blanket with a loft, blue duvet and a night table with a standard lamp settled together. An Icelandic flag was pinned pridefully above his bed against the wall. To the immediate right was a grey bookcase and a petite, walk-in closet tucked in the corner.

His suitcase was stashed inside of the walk-in closet with his minimal amount of clothing hanging from the bar on hangers. He didn't have much to begin with since his parents kicked him out of their home. He sifted through his shirts. He decided on a fitted, navy blue shirt and paired them with a pair of tan shorts. Puffing his cheeks and blowing out his breath, he grabbed his hair brush to fix his tousled, dampened ash blonde hair. Two spritz of cologne and he deemed himself presentable enough.

In the kitchen, Lukas finished up the rest of his coffee and a buttery piece of toast. It wasn't the healthiest breakfast, but he wasn't in the mood to go all out, especially since his new roommate was taking his sweet time in the bathroom.

The Norwegian walked out of the kitchen and proceeded in the direction of his bedroom to fetch his outfit: a white V-neck, blue gym shorts, and a pair of his favorite Norwegian flag printed boxer briefs. When he opened the bathroom, a bellow of steam hit him. His unkempt bed head hairstyle frizzed and his relaxed expression changed to a vexed one.

"Góðan daginn, Lukas." Emil greeted the other softly in his native language. Memories of last night kept him from looking Lukas in his eye. It was their first night and he made an absolute fool of himself.

Before Lukas closed the bathroom door behind him, he returned the greeting in his language- voice void of emotion, "God morgen."

Emil naturally drifted over to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup. Caffeine was essential for the Icelandic man. As he inched out of the kitchen equipped with a scorching cup of coffee, his eye caught Lukas's cell phone vibrating incessantly.

"Maybe this is the reason for his sour mood?" Emil assumed under his breath to himself despite not knowing his roommate on that level. He set the coffee cup on a coaster next to the phone. Emil's eyes greedily read the name flashing on the screen.

 _Mathias..._ The phone continued to light up. _Wow, someone's eager for Lukas's attention._ Emil's mouth pressed into a tight line, looking away from the jumpy phone in frustration. _Why do I care? I barely know the guy. He's just my roommate. None of this is making sense to me._

With that concluding thought, he grabbed the remote and pressed down on the power button. A distraction was all that he needed. Something to get his mind off of his past, Lukas's mood this morning, and last night's intoxicating activities.

Inside of the bathroom, Lukas was finishing up his routine shower. A squirt of shampoo, an equal amount of conditioner, a glob of body wash, and a dollop of facial wash. It had to be in order. _Always_. Every time.

He sorted through his feelings about last night with Emil. From his observations, he could already determine that Emil was inexperienced and had a low tolerance with alcohol. Upon first meeting him, he disclosed very little about himself; quite reserved, yet he had a fiery spirit underneath that icy exterior. There was a part of himself that he was struggling to hold back- to conceal. He was hiding something.

 _He might have dealt with rejection. He's clearly not comfortable with himself._ Lukas rolled his violet blue eyes, thinking to himself as he rinsed himself off and turned off the water. _Not my problem. He's an adult._

However, part of Lukas was indeed concerned with Emil's mental state. Was it his own pride to reject that notion? Possibly.

By the time Lukas finished his morning routines, he wiped every corner of the bathroom with precision. His upper lip curled in disdain when his sock clad foot dunked into a puddle of bathwater. As he pulled off his socks, he muttered under his breath, "He couldn't have dried up all of this water?" He dried up the rest of the flooring and mumbled, "I need to reinforce my expectations then."

Flipping through the channels for the tenth time, Emil slumped his shoulders in defeat as nothing satisfied his cravings. He took another sip of his lukewarm coffee and blinked twice. Lukas stared at him briefly, eyes scanning his body, and then darted over to his phone's lit-up screen.

Without a word, Lukas scurried over to snatch his phone off of the table. Emil tilted his head, eyebrow arched at the haste movements.

 _What was that for? Why's he acting so suspicious?_ He eyed the taller male, who twisted away from his line of sight to check his messages. By the sharp inhale, he could sense that the messages were not favorable in the slightest.

"Emil, I need to talk to you about something." Lukas glanced over his shoulder, cradling his phone in his hands before turning to face the other sitting down on the couch. Emil nodded up at Lukas and his eyes followed as he felt the couch dip when Lukas claimed the seat next to him.

"Is it about last night? If so, then I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to make a bad impression, I really thought-"

"No, no. Emil, that's only a little piece of it."

Inhaling deeply, Emil combed a hand through his slightly dampened, waved hair and released a trembling breath, caught up in his thoughts. _I already fucked up… and I fucked up more than once, apparently._

Lukas shifted in his spot, looking down at his cell phone that started to vibrate. Grunting out, he answered the phone and sent Emil an apologetic look.

"Hallo?" His voice was silken and composed despite his demeanor seconds ago. "Hallo, Mathias... Why did you call me," he pulled back from the phone to read the missed calls section, " _thirteen_ times?" His eyes flew over to Emil briefly to acknowledge his existence. "No, you cannot come over- no, I have company. Don't interrupt me, Mat. No, don't beg. Goodbye." Click.

Sighing out as he pocketed his phone, he leaned closer to Emil, placing a hand on the smaller man's shoulder. He noticed the petal pink blush that rose to Emil's cheeks, secretly finding it adorable.

"Lukas…" Emil swallowed, "um, why are you so close?" His eyes widened, "...I don't understand!" He scooted away from him with jittery hands. Lukas snorted, watching in amusement.

"Wipe down the bathroom after you use it and," he instructed before poking Emil lightly on the nose, "don't just let the phone ring. Have some sense to bring it to me." Lukas inwardly smirked when Emil shot him a defiant look.

"I'm not being rude." Emil recoiled from being read so quickly. This was his new life with Lukas Bondevik.


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments, kudos, bookmarks, and subscriptions! That motivates me so much to continue writing. I love hearing about what you think and feel as a reader. It's a magical feeling to share a bond between writer and reader. :)
> 
> If you haven't yet, subscribe to me/this story, so you can be the first to know when my chapters are released! I'm happy to create artwork for Fall in Love as well.
> 
> You guys rock, seriously! Fall in Love has been a blast to write and I'm glad that there are so many NorIce fans out there! <3

[ ](https://imgur.com/SnUyu01)

Looking back in retrospection, Emil shook his head at the memories of that milestone. Nearly two and a half weeks had passed since he moved in with Lukas. Many things have changed- for better and for worse.

 _Everyday has been a challenge for me since I moved in with Lukas,_ Emil scribbled down in a pretty cursive font, _I just… have to force away these forbidden feelings._

He paused, a dreamy expression plastered on his face, hand cupping his cheek. _The way Lukas sways his slender hips when he goes back in his bedroom. I wonder what it's like in there...  
_

He stopped writing when he heard a few knocks on his bedroom door.

"I'm going out to grab groceries. Need anything?" That smooth, addictive voice was muffled against the thick frame of the bedroom door. Emil set his pen down and shoved his journal into the desk's drawer. He walked over to open the door and appreciated the sight of Lukas standing there.

"Um," He tapped his chin, "oatmeal, licorice, maybe a pack of cola…" He trailed off, cursing the light blush that seeped into his cheeks. "Look, you don't have to go grocery shopping for me. I can get it myself." Lukas shook his head.

"I might as well, since I'm going there. Don't be silly, Emil."

"Ok. Fine," he bitterly surrendered with a shrug, "but don't forget the licorice."

"I'll make sure to _forget_ that one."

Emil's mouth opened to argue, but calmed down when Lukas let out a small chuckle and turned to leave.

Once he heard the front door close, he hurried back to his desk to continue writing.

 _His delicious lips that just_ begged _to be captured in a passionate kiss while he talked about something profound. Oh, his sarcasm. Sometimes I don't know if he is serious or not. I really like him. But… I don't think that he thinks of me like that. He probably sees me as a bro._

There was _one_ thing that simmered in the back of Emil's mind. Something that he could not push away. The more he ignored it, the closer it got like an angry bee buzzing incessantly in his ear. He just wanted to swat it away. He resisted the temptation, because it would sting him. But it kept returning. Every day, or so it seemed.

_Oh, did I forget to mention Lukas's best friend? I'll get back to that later._

* * *

Untamed blonde hair sprouted from his head; either from defying gravity or a ridiculous amount of hair gel. That genuine grin plastered on his face. His round, azure orbs gave the most beautiful ocean a run for its money. His charisma and warm personality could make one fall in love almost instantly.

His laugh- oh his laugh- it was hearty and pure. It was a sound that could cure chronic depression. He was memorable; never had an issue with making friends, and always knew how to raise your spirits _and_ your cock.

"Emil!" He called out as the front door slammed behind him. "How's yer new job?" Mathias plopped down next to him, hooking an arm around his neck. "Heard from Lukas that yer a bartender now? Well, hook me up!"

Emil sighed out with a roll of his eyes at Mathias's outlandish request. _Free drinks? Right, good luck with that one._

Lukas was busy in the flavorful, petite kitchen. The mouth watering aroma tangoed across the living room and around the two males on the couch.

"Lukas, I don't know what smells better? The food or _you_!"

Lukas rolled his eyes with a shake of his head and flicked the spatula around to sauté the mushrooms and onions in a homemade marinade.

"Shut it, idiot." Mathias pouted at the rejection, but shrugged it off as if he didn't hear him.

 _I don't like this guy. He's always coming over here… I_ "...don't understand it. What's he to Lukas?"

Mathias made a 'huh?' sound. His natural curiosity piqued at Emil's mumbled question that he miraculously deciphered at the last moment.

 _Oh, shit. I said that out loud, didn't I?_ "N-Nothing!" Emil slapped his hand over his mouth in horror, wishing that he could rewind and reset what happened. Alas, it was too late.

Mathias smirked and nudged him on his arm. "It's okay. I would want to know, too." Emil rolled his eyes; his cheeks flushed red.

"If I were in _your_ position, that is." Mathias reasoned, pulling the smaller man closer to him so he could whisper in his ear. Emil stiffened up visibly, not appreciating the touchiness from the Dane.

"Lukas and I used to live together. The room you stay in-" He paused to read Emil's stunned reaction, "that's where I used to sleep. _S_ _ometimes_."

Emil drank in this information, trying to register it as his eyes darted left to right straight ahead in the distance and his lips tightened into a line.

_They lived together? Did something happen between them? Why did he leave? Why am I now just finding out about this?_

"Oh." Emil poker faced. Beneath the surface, he was trapped in a marathon of questions. Biting the inside of his cheek, he looked from his hands in his lap to over where Lukas was shuffling around in the kitchen, dishes clanging and the aroma intensifying.

 _Lukas would have mentioned it…_ He was barely listening to Mathias at this point as his thoughts rambled on, _but he didn't._

Lukas cleared his throat from the entryway with crossed arms and an arched brow.

"Mathias." That's all he had to say to yank Mathias away from Emil's ear.

"The food's ready," he announced. His eyes swept over Emil and then to Mathias before turning back into the kitchen, "Emil, come help me."

There was a rectangular, wooden dining table to the right of the living room two meters away from the kitchen. Mathias leaped off of the couch like a frog, causing Emil to fall back from the abrupt movement.

"I'll help ya, Lukas!" His enthusiasm grated Emil's nerves. Standing up, he trailed behind Mathias. Observing the hand that traveled ever so slowly across the small of Lukas's back, he sensed a foreign sensation well up inside of him.

 _Helping him by touching him? Tsk. Just leave him alone already!_ His jaw clenched, chest tightened, and an urge to separate them slithered through his mind. He shook his head at his impulses, silently fuming. Instead of giving into the temptation, he decided to grab the dishes and glasses to set the table. The other two decorated the table with the dinner.

"I haven't eaten this good in a while!" Mathias laughed over a fork of baked salmon. Lukas plucked a piece of bread, looking at Emil carefully across from him.

Emil stabbed at the salmon on his plate, lavender orbs cast downwards, looking dejected. Mathias carried on a casual conversation with Lukas, who hummed periodically as his eyes returned to his plate.

 _You were here yesterday, and the day before. Just leave already._ "Annoying…" Emil muttered under his breath before his cell phone started buzzing. He placed his fork down with an echoing clang to acknowledge the caller's name flashing on the screen. Both Mathias and Lukas stopped chatting idly and stared at Emil's avoidant gaze.

 _Oh no, not them._ "I…I need to be excused." _Why are they bothering me now?_

"Emil, what's yer problem?" Mathias stood up from his seat next to Lukas. Emil stood and shook his head with the noisy phone in his hand. He didn't have to explain. Why? It was certainly none of Mathias's business.

 _This is a mess._ He pushed in his chair and slid his finger to decline the second call. It was no use. They would persist. Something else was bothering Emil; not just the dreadful caller.

_Something's not making sense. They seem close and I want to ask Lukas, but then that would make me-_

"Emil," Lukas interrupted Emil's anxious thoughts before he could slip out of the dining area. He froze in place, phone shaking in his clenched hand. Lukas placed his utensils down on his plate, "...Everything's okay?"

"Please," he waved both of them off frantically, "I'm okay, really."

But he wasn't okay.

* * *

Later in the evening, Emil tugged on a white button up, carefully slipping the buttons into the loops and leaving an eyeful of his upper chest exposed. The light highlighted his prominent collarbones. After his legs were covered in a pair of fitted black slacks, he finished off his appearance with a black vest. Before he left his bedroom, he shoved his feet into black, non-slip shoes.

Meanwhile, Lukas was lounging on his couch, glancing from his cellphone and then back to the blank, flat screened television. The kitchen- Lukas's oasis- was sanitized and the dishes were rumbling in the dishwasher. Everything was peaceful; lights a low glimmer blanketing the living room. Sandalwood poured gracefully in the air, settling his bones and easing his mind.

He switched on the television and searched for something mundane to create background noise. As soon as the weather channel flickered on, he set down the remote and picked up his cellphone to play a newly installed game app. Several minutes passed before he glanced up to see his handsome roommate.

"Hey, Lukas…" Emil began, rubbing the back of his neck once he noticed Lukas's intense stare. "I'm leaving now."

 _Damn… He looks good. Fuck, my body feels... No, no, calm down, Lukas._ He cleared his throat, looking down at his cellphone to refocus his emotions.

"Take care, then." He grabbed the chestnut throw blanket to conceal his evolving excitement against his soft, navy blue jersey shorts.

"Beer before liquor-" His stoic voice was cut off, making the phone in his hand lower to his blanketed lap.

"Throw up quicker. I know, I know." Emil smiled with a breathy chuckle and left his roommate to bask in solitude.

"Good," Lukas whispered to himself after the door shut.

The rushing wind combined with an evening drizzle fluffed up Emil's hair before he boarded the local train. Casually checking his cell phone, he noticed that he had five minutes to spare. It was not his ideal job. He would have preferred a work-from-home job like the one Lukas held for the past two years. The money wasn't bad, though. It helped pay his rent, food, and other essential monetary headaches.

As the train arrived at his destination, he couldn't help his thoughts from returning back to his roommate. He found Lukas endearing. Sexy. Irresistible. Breaking through Lukas's steel barriers was difficult, but he managed little by little. There was some tension lingering, but Emil concluded that it was probably his fault or all in his imagination.

Once he arrived at the hole-in-the-wall club called Bahama Mama's, he pulled the wooden door open with ease. There were a few old men drinking casually around the bar. Some of them glanced over their broad shoulders, undressing him with their glazed eyes.

"Emil! Come here." Lars beckoned him over to his office to discuss his second night on the floor. His training was finished and tonight was the real deal.

"Vlad is going to work alongside you tonight. If you need any help, don't be afraid to ask for his help. Time is money, so apply everything you've learned." Lars explained matter-of-factually, waiting for his response, which was a curt nod with a faint blush covering his cheeks at the closeness of their bodies in the tiny office. Well, it was more like a dingy, musty smelling closet with a large monitor that displayed where the cameras were spying. Layers of paperwork were pinned here and there against poorly aligned cork boards. It made him feel uneasy.

Back at the apartment, Lukas was prancing around his living room to chill Norwegian music. He adored the absence of noisy humans. The solitude. Staggering steps littered the floor, raspberry wine spinning inside of the glass, flushed cheeks, and a total loss of inhibition. The perfect concoction for a great night and bad decisions.

After the song ended, he gulped the remainder of wine and placed it in the sink to wash later. He bounded over toward the L-shaped sofa, grabbing his cell phone from the lounge table, and noticed a text from Mathias.

_Hey, Lukie. Dinner was amazin' ty ;)_

Deciding to ignore Mathias, he retired for the evening. He knew if he replied, Mathias would- without a doubt in his mind- chat with him all night long. That was not something that he planned to do; sober or intoxicated.

As he stepped through the threshold of his bedroom, he smiled to himself. He liked having Emil as his roommate, but the solitude was his definition of paradise. He could let his carefree side out in the privacy of his own home.

Through hazy vision, he stripped down to his red boxer briefs and sprawled out on his king sized bed and inhaled deeply through his nostrils before relaxing his bones with a rewarding exhale through his parted lips. His lids slid shut after he made sure that his phone's volume was lowered.

* * *

Emil navigated through the abundant amount of alcohol, bumping into Vlad a couple of times throughout the night.

"If you keep bumping into me," Vlad shouted over the deafening, club music while stabbing two red stirring straws into a dirty Shirley temple and a cranberry vodka, "I might get the wrong idea." He winked at his left eye at his elated customers, placing the mixed drinks down onto blue coasters in front of them. The girls squealed at their chemistry; tipping both of them equally.

Emil was not enthusiastic about Vlad's blunt flirting; it made him rigid and suspicious. He seemed like he wanted to get into his pants on their first night working together. He was approachable- yes, but the sexual innuendos creeped him out.

"Vlad!" One of his regulars called out, "who is the new guy?" Vlad smirked, glancing over his shoulder with a beer bottle. "Emil," he stated as the cap snagged off the bottle with a little hiss. He placed it nearby on a brown coaster, smirking deviously.

"Look, man... I'm trying to get lucky tonight." Vlad chuckled with a roll of his eyes at his regular.

"Too bad," Vlad said briefly while swiping a credit card to open up a tab for him, "I already have dibs on him." The raven haired man roared with laughter as he took a hearty swig of brown liquid and licked his lips.

Vlad continued working and purposely held Emil by his hips when he needed to go around him. Emil flinched, dropping a glass of gin and tonic onto the black matted floorboard.

"Stop touching me," Emil demanded over the music as he cleaned up his accident, irritation clear in his voice. "I just want to do my job."

Vlad held up his hands innocently before he strode over to a trio of girls, grinning widely.

The music came to a halt, temporarily confusing the dancing drunkards in the center of the club near the booming stereos.

Tino, the infamously good-looking DJ, called over the microphone when the clock hit 1:30 AM. "Last call for alcohol, last call for alcohol! So, finish up your whiskeys or beers. And don't forget to tip your bartenders!"

The pulsing music resumed and a swarm of staggers filed over to the bar to grab one last drink. Emil tipped a beer glass while the foamy stream of beer flowed out and he set it down in front of a misery stricken man. He was on his third beer. Emil decided to cut him off after the third one and poured a glass of water for the swaying man.

As soon as the last gaggle of girls left the nightclub, Berwald- the towering, intimidating bouncer of the club- closed the doors and locked all of the employees inside to clean up. He helped Tino with his equipment and they left together.

Lars was in his office, assessing the business's profits and glanced at the large monitor that spied on his employee's actions. He rolled his eyes when he saw Emil bolt three feet in the air from Vlad spanking him with a twisted up, wet towel.

"Idiots." Lars snorted, eyes focusing on his laptop once again as his fingertips typed away.

By the time Vlad and Emil wiped down the bar top and sliced the last lime, Lars handed them their tips from the credit cards and waved them off after his inspection of their cleaning.

Goosebumps raised as the midnight chill splashed their exposed forearms and the distant cheers of party goers drifted through the atmosphere. Vlad slid his arm around the shorter man's slender waist with a friendly, closed smile. "Emil, do you have a ride?"

Extremely uncomfortable with the contact, his feet hastened their pace to disconnect his sneaky hand from his waist. "Don't concern yourself with me, Vlad." Vlad arched a brow at his indifference, deciding to shrug and divide their paths when Emil stepped to the right.

"See ya next shift then," Vlad said and waved at the Icelander, pressing on his key fob to unlock his sport car's door with a noisy double beep. He got in his car and proceeded to leave, watching in his rear view mirror as Emil crossed the crosswalk in the direction of the train.

Exhaustion could not even explain what Emil felt- he was two steps beyond that line. All he could remember was boarding the train, eyelids shutting and cracking open every time the intercom sounded off, and shivering as he walked into the apartment complex.

He pushed the key in and jiggled it twice before the lock gave way and pressed the door open, the echo of metal hinges alerting Lukas. Emil toed off his shoes and flexed his sore feet, hearing a satisfying crack from his left foot. Flicking on the light switch, he yawned and stretched his arms over his head, squinting his eyes from the blinding glow of fluorescent lights above his head.

Lukas lifted his head from his pillow; the click of the bathroom door roused him from his slumber. Tossing under the navy blue throw blanket, he tried to resume his rest. He clutched onto the material as the waterfall of water roared against the wall.

"Y'gotta be fucking kiddin' me," groaned Lukas when his blurred vision registered the blinking, neon numbers. Yanking the blanket over his head, he released a whine. As soon as the shower ceased, Lukas drifted back to sleep. Fortunately, it was the weekend.

* * *

Two weeks later, the trees' leaves browned; shedding and raining to the Earth, leaving behind the secrets of late summertime. Exhilaration surged through Lukas's bones as the windows were pushed up and the screened patio was pushed aside.

Reminiscing dragged the corners of his mouth down. It wasn't the refreshing breeze that combed through his locks; it was the plaguing thoughts of his past. His past never left- it was always shoved in his face. The desire to push it away was as strong as steel.

Twisting away from the screened door, he decided to wake Emil. It was almost noon. _Lazy boy._

Raising his balled up fist to eye level, he started drumming it until he heard a few curses in a foreign language. He stepped backwards when the door swung inwards. Emil hardened his sleep-ridden eyes before rubbing them to sharpen his focus.

"Can I help you?" His words were grounded out- he was clearly not a morning person. Lukas towered over him by three inches, eyes lowering curiously at his raging morning wood.

"Looks like yer awake," he noted casually with a smirk, "in _more_ places than one."

It took Emil a moment to register where Lukas's attention was directed. Flustered beyond belief, his hands slapped over his erection. He wanted to sink into the ground, away from Lukas's prying eyes.

"Don't be so weird!" He shrieked, swiftly turning away. Lukas grabbed his forearm to prevent him from hiding what was natural.

"Don't be such a prude."

"I don't have to be doing what you tell me!" Lukas enjoyed Emil's little outburst; an indecent glimmer in his eyes at his defiance. He released Emil's arm and crossed his arms against his chest.

Pivoting on his heels, Emil slammed the door in his smug face. A tingling sensation traveled through his system.

 _He was looking at me differently. What's he thinking?_ With a shake of his head, he collected a clean set of clothes. _It's all in my imagination. He's probably just teasing me. But why? I don't deserve his attention._

Sighing out through tight lips, he cracked the door open to check if the coast was clear. Lukas was out of sight. Wasting no time, Emil scampered over to the bathroom and twisted the doorknob. The resistance of it and the echo of a stream irked Emil. Lukas knew damn well that he needed to use the bathroom.

Inside of the bathroom, Lukas smiled to himself as he fixed himself and washed his hands. _Payback..._

Before Emil could open his mouth, a soft click reached his ears. Lukas emerged from the bathroom, a mischievous glint fleeting in his eyes that Emil witnessed. It was gone before he could blink.


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! I'm back again with a new chapter and new artwork! <3 Thank you for the love so far. This chapter was super fun to write and it is LONGER!

Several weeks rolled on down the populated street of Emil's intoxicated- no, infatuated, albeit silently obsessed- mind. Every passing day that was spent in his crush's proximity was comparable to the unrequited love type of torture. Okay, torture might not be the correct word; something close to that degree, though.

The sneaky smirks, the accidental bumps in the kitchen, the longing stares that did not accompany any sign of actual confessions or commitments.

All of the subtleties that he took back to his bedroom and poured into his journal. Like a variety of colorful acrylics spilling onto a blank canvas- abstract yet perverse images surfacing but unintelligible to the naked eye.

What was an eighteen year old supposed to do in this situation?

_Ding!_

Emil glanced over at the text message notification that lit up his locked screen.

_I need you to come to work early. We have a meeting at 8:30 PM. Do not be late._

Sighing out as he picked it up, he thought about what he wanted to say. Well, there wasn't much to say to that except a simple:

_OK._

Placing the phone down, his pen connected with the blank, eggshell colored page of his journal; leaving controlled, blue streaks of cursive in its tracks.

_His arms flexed lightly when he pulled off his shirt the other day. I want to be held in those arms so badly. Luckily, he didn't notice me watching…_

A light strawberry tint dusted over his cheeks when his ballpoint bounced three times.

_It was a beautiful sight. I just want him so badly- to touch him, feeling the softness off his skin and the ridges of his biceps that will tense as he kisses me passionately._

A wistful smile tugged at his lips; fantasies about their idealistic, romantic future together, despite the fact that they live together as… as roommates.

As soon as the dreamy thought embraced his imagination, the reality hit him like a ton of bricks and smothered his mood.

_It hurts to see Mathias hang on him and I really... well, I really want to say something, but for some reason, my voice won't come out. How is it so easy for that annoying guy to confidently express what I'm dying to say to Lukas?_

Pressing down the ballpoint into the paper, his brows lowered angrily and he couldn't shake off the feeling.

 _They are more than friends. Mathias…_ A grimace climbed on top of his lips as he wrote, _he thinks he is so cool. Ugh, why would you want to be around him so much, Lukas? What does he have that I don't?_

An alarming knock against his locked bedroom door caused a thunderous thud against the hardwood desk. The wheels of his desk chair swiftly reversed and the written secrets were thrown into its hiding place.

"Hey, Emil?"

"Lu-Lukas?" He stuttered out, wide-eyed, wild hands fanning his reddening cheeks as he nearly tripped over the circular rug to answer the securely locked door. He was so emotionally caught up in what he was doing that the world around him had evaporated.

"Hey, there's a new anime that came out a few days ago. Would you…" Lukas cleared his throat when he trailed off, "would you like to join me?"

Frozen in bewilderment, Emil hesitated as he struggled to register what his roommate offered.

"Uhm," he spoke softly as he shuffled in place behind the closed door, "I…"

There was a pregnant pause of silence between them yet Emil's thoughts fired off uncontrollably.

_What should I say? How am I supposed to respond to that? I really want to but… what if he thinks that I like him? That'd be very bad since we are roommates after all._

"Emil?" Lukas probed softly and looked down at his feet. _Maybe he's not interested in building a friendship between me?_

Lukas bit his lip, straightened up, chin held high, and spoke up again with a purpose. "We should spend time together since we have lived together for a while now."

_Say something Emil! Of course, Lukas… I would love nothing more than to cuddle up with you on the couch. I want to do that!_

"Uhm… sure?" Emil's voice cracked at his uncertainty, shaky fists clenched. Mentally facepalming at his diffidence, he relaxed at Lukas's soothing, modulated voice; luckily grabbing him from his current cringe.

"Okay, then," a feather light smile was veiled behind the door, "I'll start up the show."

Awkwardly sitting as far away as possible from the other end of the plush sofa, Emil tightened his caramel colored throw blanket around his ridged shoulders.

The brightness of the living room dramatically darkened once Lukas shut the sliding door blinds.

After settling down close to the other, he switched on the television and pressed on the Netflix icon. Scrolling through the movies and shows, he swiftly glanced over to Emil.

Contemplative, dreamy, lavender orbs regarded him, which contradicted the expansive distance between them on the sofa.

Emil flinched noticeably and turned away at being caught, but Lukas returned a soft gaze before refocusing on the task at hand. He inwardly chuckled at how cute Emil looked when he was flustered.

After the first episode ended, Emil peeped at his cellphone to check for any messages. There was a text from an unknown sender.

_Hey what's up?_

Sighing lightly and tucking the phone away, he caught a sprinkle of concern in those familiar eyes staring back at him in his peripheral vision.

"I… I'm just checking something. I mean, nothing bad… Is something wrong? You… why are you staring?" Emil stumbled over his words and tightened the slackened blanket around him to guard himself from Lukas's prying eyes.

"Oh?" Lukas shook off his deadpan facial expression before turning his attention back to the television when the next episode started. "I was just lost in thought is all."

Emil nibbled on his bottom lip before picking up his phone, "I need to use the restroom- just tell me what happens?"

"Alright." His eyes studied Emil's footsteps towards the bathroom.

Once Emil was in the safety of their shared bathroom, he huffed out before splashing his face with chilled water. Looking up as his hands dragged down his exasperated face, he blew harshly between pouty lips.

"Ugh, why can't I be normal for once? Why…?" Emil mumbled to his reflection and exhaled deeply as he grabbed the hand towel to dry his damp face and hands.

His eyes scanned over the text message twice before he responded.

_Who is this?_

_Who do u think?_

Emil gulped as his hands trembled. He had an inkling of who might be contacting him. Well, who else could it be?

_You have the wrong number._

_I miss u._

Frowning at this text message, Emil pressed the contact information option and blocked the number.

"I have other issues at hand," he reminded himself as he opened his internet browser, "I don't need my past haunting me."

Searching through his phone for answers, his thumbs bounced and glided against the screen.

_What to do when you have a crush on your roommate and they probably don't feel the same way because you're an idiot for even thinking this was ok in the first place?_

He erased what he typed in and pocketed his cellphone before exiting the bathroom.

Lukas peered up from the animated action scene on the flat screen and paused it at Emil's brooding expression.

Trying to make light of the unusually heavy ambience, Lukas teased him.

"I thought you fell in the toilet."

Emil pursed his lips and curtained his fleeting blush with his bangs, or at least tried to in vain.

Wheezing out in disbelief, he realized that Lukas's body was stretched out across the sofa. His legs were so slender yet muscular, lengthy, breathtaking. His eyes greedily studied from his light strawberry knees to the edge of his black shorts and then between his thighs and-

His mouth gaped open slightly and then closed as he gulped down a nervous breath. There was nowhere for him to sit down.

"I think you are in the way…?" He shifted from one foot to the other. His focus swayed side to side, avoiding the urge to watch Lukas fold and return back to an upright position.

Emil prepared to sit down, but Lukas swiftly laid down again to deter him from claiming his original spot.

"Hey!" He huffed out, "I just want to sit down." The pent up excitement in his chest erased any hints of irritation from his face.

"Well, there's a chair right there," he gestured over at the recliner and then an unexpected coyness spread across his lips, "or you can sit by… me?"

Emil nearly jumped out of his skin at what Lukas said in a -dare he say it- coquettish tone of voice.

"I-I'll just sit in the chair instead. I'm sorry!" Emil flung himself over to sit in the recliner and refused to say a word. He could not believe that his roommate just flirted with him. Invited him to be close!

_Wait, what if I'm just overreacting?_

He chanced a glance at Lukas when he wasn't looking and chewed on the inside of his cheek.

_What if that's what roommates say to each other?_

Turning his eyes away from Lukas's side profile, he focused on the moving pictures.

_What if that is just him wanting to be friends in some weird way? What if-_

The sound of the characters on the television having a heated discussion drowned out his thoughts and pushed himself out of his little world of vexatious 'what ifs'.

Lukas started to space out after some time; reflecting on how Emil reacted to his suggestion. He surely didn't take the bait, thus concluding that he wasn't interested in anything more than a professional relationship.

Lukas could not lie to himself- well, yes he could, but the rejection was a damper on his mood. Shrugging off the troublesome feeling, he nestled into the sofa and pivoted his attention to the episode.

_Maybe he's not interested? Should I back off? I really thought that he felt similar feelings for me. Maybe I judged it too soon._

Lukas hummed to himself, leaning forward to remove himself from the living room in search of a snack to nibble on until Emil surrendered to stop binge watching _his_ favorite anime show. Realization dawned upon him, sending a warm smile across his face.

* * *

Later that evening, fitted black trousers traveled up over a pair of slender thighs and a clean button up covered his torso. A black tie fastened haphazardly around his neck after flapping on a black vest. His fingers tousled his bedhead, ashen locks and a spritz of cologne finished him off.

It was nearing the time that Lars had demanded him- yes, demanded, because his boss was stickler about time management- to show up for their meeting.

Pushing his way past the door, he noticed a few regulars drowning in booze. One of them in particular called out his name and blew him a kiss, which made Emil grimace when the man turned around to flirt with his female coworker.

_No thanks._

Blatantly dismissing the unwanted affection, Emil found himself staring up into a pair of stern, emerald orbs and a tight lipped smirk.

"We're just waiting on Vlad," his voice perturbed, "he's a slow ass."

Not even five seconds later, Vlad swaggered through the door with a reputable confidence surrounding him. Everyone whistled, waved, and cheered when he walked past them. He was everyone's _favorite_ bartender.

Lars guided the two bartenders to the back near his office and planted his hands on his hips.

"I don't know _who_ did it," his eyes drifted from Emil and lingered on Vlad, "but I _do not_ want anyone getting free drinks. Everyone pays. Every time."

Emil followed the rules, so he knew that it was Vlad under the spotlight. The intensity of the meeting made Emil's stomach turn. Vlad was sneaky and unjust; that made him feel differently than before- in a bad way, that is.

"That's all. Now, get to work. It's Saturday, so it's going to be busy. I expect both of you to _not_ disappoint me."

* * *

"Really?" Lukas asked in displeasure, arching his brows at the only extrovert he had enough patience to be around.

"Lukas, ya been cooped up here all week." Mathias grinned from ear to ear as he coerced the Norwegian into wearing something other than his pajamas or comfort clothing. "Ya need to go out and let the money run out."

"So, your solution is alcohol?" He tugged on a dark violet hoodie over his towel dried hair.

Mathias responded with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You're gonna be an alcoholic if you keep drinking alcohol," he stated matter-of-factly to his best friend.

Swinging his bicep around Lukas's neck, he guided them both into the bathroom. "I know a good place. Trust me on this one, Lukie!"

The shorter man shrugged Mathias away from him and searched for his hairdryer to style his soft, blonde locks. Afterwards, he pinned back the left side of his hair and secured it tightly with his beloved crosspin.

"Yeah," he drawled out as he flipped off the main light, "remind me not to believe you next time if you screw up. Like last time."

Chuckling innocently, Mathias rubbed the back on his head at the memory. Lukas rolled his eyes and shook his head as he grabbed his wallet and keys from the hallway table.

"Subway or...?" Lukas asked briefly after closing the door behind them.

Without missing a beat, "Why not? I'll save on gas."

Lukas gave him a 'really?' look and let out his trademark scoff.

"Mathias. You drive a moped."

"And that moped has been loyal to me," Mathias reasoned assuringly while they started walking in the direction of the subway station.

"Besides, I'm getting wasted tonight!"

Facepalming, Lukas muttered next to him as the subway arrived to a screeching halt. "You better not end up on social media in the morning."

* * *

"Emil, I need more lemons and limes!" Vlad demanded over the hammering club music; muscles flexing under rolled up white sleeves as he shook a mixer up and down vigorously above his shoulder.

"Here!" Emil shouted back, yanking out two extra cases of sliced lemons and limes after snatching a hefty tip left behind for him.

He made sure to prepare beforehand when it was slow. There was no way that Vlad was going to have the upper hand and make him look like an incompetent amateur.

"Oi, bartender!" Emil swiveled around on his heel after serving a tipsy customer a large glass of iced water.

Graceful steps approached the unfamiliar customer. He had blonde hair, british accent, and unkempt brows that looked like they were painted on with an abused, bristle brush.

He gave a questioning look, slamming his forearms against the counter to lean forward and catch his order over the deafening music. His trained ears deciphered the heavy accent and nodded swiftly before he accepted the British man's credit card to open a tab.

 _Swipe it under seat 6. Tall. Coke. Whiskey. On the rocks._ He chanted inwardly as he dialed in the information and stored the credit card in his compact, blue credit card holder.

A couple waved Emil over before he could grab a tall glass and he acknowledged them. They smiled at him and nodded twice at him as he threw together the simple drink.

Placing down the glass, he made his way over to the couple and opened a tab for them as well and satisfied their orders.

Vlad effortlessly served a group of five girls and flirted with them as they downed their shots of top shelf vodka. Their bills individually were skyrocketing and their inhibitions were deteriorating. Quickly pouring them glasses of water with light ice, he grinned at his regulars at the end of the bar.

* * *

"Isn't this where Emil works?" Lukas's heartbeat sped up to the thumping of the club music as they got in the relatively short line of skimpy clad girls and cologne bathed guys.

Berwald flashed a flashlight against their IDs and ushered them into the club. Mathias nodded over his broad shoulder and guided them over towards a hardworking Emil shaking a mixer over his shoulder. He poured the alcohol into three overflowing ice cubed glasses. The trio cheered as they clanged their glasses and sipped on the concoction.

"Emil!" Mathias's voice boomed over the music, motioning him over to take care of them. He was swamped with customers calling him in different directions. Vlad noticed this and decided to waltz over to Mathias and Lukas.

Vlad's pupils dilated and his brows arched at the beauty sitting next to the obnoxious loudmouth.

 _Who is that?_ Vlad smirked with a wink at Lukas. Lukas turned away from Vlad's blunt flirting and stared at Emil's moving form in the distance. He was being tugged from one side of the bar to the next, but seemed to keep his cool rather well.

"What're we drinking?" He asked as he leaned forward in Lukas's direction, looking over to Mathias and then back to Lukas.

Mathias shook his head at Vlad and pointed at Emil, "We want Emil."

Vlad gave an irritated look, dejected for a moment before smiling sweetly. "He's busy. I'll help you out. What do you want to drink?" This time he directed the question at Lukas.

Lukas opened his mouth, but Vlad cut him off as he reached forward to touch Lukas's hand resting on the counter. "It's on the house… for _you_."

"Emil, come over 'ere!" Mathias was persistent now, glaring at Vlad's bold actions towards Lukas.

Swiping another credit card and organizing it in the plastic organizer, Emil poured six shots for a trio and rushed over to Mathias. The view of Lukas was blocked off with Vlad standing in the way.

"I got them," Emil shooed his coworker away and hitched his thumb over his shoulder, "I think you had some regulars on the far right."

Vlad shoved past Emil purposefully in the opposite direction and pranced over towards the elated faces with a pep in his step.

"Emil," Mathias's body leaned to the right with hardened eyes following his new target, "Do I need to fight someone after work?"

"No, no!" Emil frantically waved his hands in front of his chest. The _last_ thing he needed was confrontation and conflict in his workplace.

Lukas was glad that Mathias spoke up what he wanted to say. Vlad was out of line; his behavior was not acceptable in any way, shape, or form.

"Let me open a tab. Get me a short gin and tonic on the rocks," Mathias handed Emil his thick, golden credit card, "and Lukas will get a glass of Zinfandel."

Emil mouthed an 'okay' and spun around to dash over to swipe the credit card and opened a tab for his _friends_. He didn't like to label them as friends since Mathias was his rival and Lukas was his crush.

 _Short glass. Ice. Gin. Okay, that's enough._ He poured a little extra for Mathias and grabbed the soda/water hose, pressing down on the tonic button and watched as it filled up. Two, skinny red straws stabbed themselves between the shifting ice cubes.

 _Chilled wine glass. Zinfandel. A medium sweet red wine._ His hand grabbed the bottle of desired wine. _I know he likes Pink Moscato more. Typical of Mathias to assume._ Filling it past the nine ounces marker etched into the wine glass, he set both drinks down on blue coasters in front of them respectively.

"Cheers!" Wasting no time to finish his mixed drink, Mathias ordered a bucket of beers for the both of them before the young bartender could step away.

His hands snatched six beer bottles from the towering fridge, thrusted them into the bucket, and shoveled ice into it. The tops snagged off with multiple hisses and pops.

Lukas watched Emil; impressed with his dexterity in bartending. Sipping on the wine, he scrunched his nose at the taste. It was not his favorite, but he wasn't complaining. It was sweet enough.

Once Emil placed the bucket of beers down, his feet scurried over to cash out three customers waving him down. He made sure all of them were satisfied and printed out their receipts with a pen readily available with their assigned credit cards.

By the time Lukas finished the wine and started on his first beer, Mathias drained four of the six beers. He was swaying side to side in the black, leather cushioned barstool. He slipped off of the stool and grabbed Lukas by his arm unceremoniously.

"Lukas, huh… hurry up and finish it!" Mathias heaved out over a drunken chuckle and snatched the last bottle. "Let's dance. I don' wanna… wanna sit 'ere ...all night!"

Yeah. He was trashed, but not completely gone… _yet_.

Begrudgingly, Lukas gulped the remainder of the bottle in his hand and stood up as he was pulled relentlessly away from the bar and over to the dance floor. Dancing was fine and dandy in the privacy of his apartment, but once he passed that threshold- well, he could care less about judging himself. He relaxed his shoulders and neck, tossing his hips side to side to the music's rhythm. It had been a while since he unravelled.

Mathias parted ways from Lukas and grinded against a few girls in the crowd. He was shameless and wanton while intoxicated, but hey- he was the life of the party after all.

The music stopped abruptly, signaling Tino's queue to announce the last call for alcohol. His bright, violet eyes travelled over to where Lukas was awkwardly dancing by himself near the wall and rejecting anyone who attempted to graze their hands over him.

 _Why is this guy looking so familiar?_ His hands jerked up and down to hype up the beat of a popular tune. Shrugging it off, he grinned at two people having a final dance off in the center of the floor. People pulled out their cellphones, capturing the dance scene before their hazy visions.

By the end of the night, Mathias conquered a few phone numbers and kisses from the tipsy women and a few men. His presence was as intoxicating as the crowd he was jamming with all evening.

Berwald ushered the drunkards out of the club after they paid their bartenders. Sweat beaded at Emil's forehead as Mathias's lipstick kisses cheeks appeared before him and a swaying Norwegian folded over the bar counter.

"Here," Emil handed the printed receipt in front of the Dane and a black ballpoint pen.

Mathias's vision was hazy as he scribbled down a deliciously large total and left the tip area blank.

"'Ey, Emil! Left ya good one! Do the maths, 'kay?" Emil nodded, accepting the merchant copy and his eyes widened. It was a little over a fifty dollar tip!

"Mathias, I think you-" But Mathias wasn't listening to it when he rose his hand in the air.

"Emil, yer... uh, a hard worker, y'know?" Lukas complimented him and handed him two twenty dollar bills. He unconsciously moistened his lips before smirking at Emil.

"I can't." He felt bad that they were tipping him higher than any of his regulars. "Lukas, please-"

"Do ya wan' us t' stay 'til ya get off?" Lukas cut Emil off and snorted before letting out an uncharacteristic giggle.

Emil blushed three shades of red at his roommate's unconcealed concern and bold flirtiness.

_It's just the alcohol talking. Chill out, Emil!_

"No, that's okay. Really, Lukas, I'll be here until past three..." Clearing his throat as he schooled a serious expression, his eyes pointed at the goofy Mathias next to his beloved. "Just watch after this one."

Mathias and Lukas stumbled out of the club moments before Tino scrambled over to the entrance. Berwald sent his boyfriend an expectant yet inquisitive look.

"Somethin' wrong?" Tino shook his head nervously as Berwald's hand swallowed his thin shoulder.

"That guy looks familiar, is all." Berwald glanced over at the clumsy pair walking down the sidewalk; the streetlamp above glaring against his lens.

"Bad company, Tino." He muttered loud enough for only them to hear. He looked down at Tino, "Go back. I'll 'elp y' out." He blushed at his protective lover and trusted his astuteness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think! <3 I love hearing what my readers have to say!!


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the love and support! I really appreciate each and every one of you. As a part of my gratitude, here is a longer chapter for you to enjoy.

Diluted bleach water splashed around in a medium sized sink behind the bar. Vlad hurriedly scrubbed the short, whiskey glasses. Emil's steel grip twisted out the excess bleach water from the cleaning rag before it slapped against the sticky bar countertop. Water droplets spread out in different directions and soon they were wiped away.

Glancing over his shoulder as he polished the wine glasses, Vlad let his stare linger on Emil's perky backside. His eyes traced the sweat beaded muscles that flexed with each rigid motion against the surface, leaving behind a crooked trail of moisture and cleanliness.

"Was that your boyfriend?" His lip curled and crimson orbs distinguished a hint of bewilderment across the person in question.

_Is he talking about Lukas?_ His widened eyes blinked rapidly at Vlad before hesitating to respond with a sputtered "wh-what?"

"Heh," his eyes narrowed mischievously as he placed down the last wine glass to the side, "don't act so innocent. I saw how he was treating you."

Moving to the right, Emil scoffed while creating a defensive distance between them.

"I don't know _who_ you're talking about, okay?" He walked over to grab the broom and dustpan. Huffing softly, he resumed his sweeping, _and it's none of your concern._

"Ah?" Vlad smirked as he yanked the dish rack occupied with used draft beer glasses out from its shelf adjacent to the empty ice container, "You're not denying it."

Attempting to ignore Vlad's existence for the moment, his ears perked at what he heard tumble out of that smug mouth.

"Besides," his shoulders bounced, "I never took you for someone who liked a rich boy loudmouth." His eyes broadened at Emil's reaction.

The broom nearly escaped his hands as a dust tsunami surrounded his knees. Nearly losing his head as he pivoted on the heels, his soft lavender eyes narrowed dangerously.

" _Oooh_ , tough guy!" Vlad's taunting tone danced with the small fang glistening under the dim light above.

_Seriously?! What is wrong with this idiot?_

Frustrated sweeps and clashing collisions against the bar made Vlad's heart fluttered. He was finally getting under Emil's skin and loving every second of it.

"Oh, chill out, Emil. I'm just teasing you…" His voice trailed off as his footsteps hastened over towards the sweeping Icelander. He helped him with fixing the barstools that were shoved haphazardly to the side.

Emil collected the debris and litter into the dustpan and emptied it out in an overflowing trash bin. "Look, I don't care. Let's just hurry before Lars-"

"How much longer?" He crossed his arms against his robust chest, "unlike you two, _I_ have a life."

_Well, speak of the devil._

Lars stood adjacent to the bar with two stacks of cash in both hands with a sticky note on them. Presumably their names.

"We just finished, boss." Vlad tied a knot in the trash bag and yanked the bag from the gray trash can, "I gotta take this out back."

Emil ripped a handful of skinny, red straws and forced as many as possible into the four containers that were halfway full.

"I'm done now." Emil's voice was polite. He accepted the money that he had made in credit card tips. Saturday nights were absolute hell for him, however, the money was worth it. _Definitely_ worth it.

Lars bid both of them a stern farewell after locking the door behind him.

The moment Emil claimed a seat on the subway, he sighed out and allowed his mind to wander as his feet relaxed. There were other sleepy people dozing off and a drunk couple making out a couple of meters away from him.

_Disgusting._

Vigorously shaking his head, he managed to rouse himself from falling into a deep slumber.

_I gotta stay awake. Stay awake, stay awake, stay- Stay. The. Fuck._ "Awake," he grumbled as he fought to stand up as soon as his stop was announced over the intercom.

* * *

By the time Emil unlocked the front door and cracked it open with caution, he heard thunderous snores instantly.

That was _not_ Lukas.

"I'm hoooome!" Emil sang unpleasantly at the top of his lungs and slammed the front door behind him, shaking up the rustic artwork nailed to the wall.

Kicking off his worn thin shoes, he flinched at the sound of an inebriated choking noise from the sofa.

_Gross. Why did Lukas have to bring him back here?_

"Shut up, I'm tryna sleep!" He barked out in clear displeasure, "and turn off the damn lights- my head's hurtin'!"

"Where's Lukas?" Emil demanded in a hurry; he didn't give a damn about Mathias's easement.

Sure, he gave him a huge tip tonight, but that still didn't mean they were _buddies_ all of a sudden.

"Lukas?" Mathias yawned out and laid his forearm over his eyes to block out the intrusive illumination, "he's probably awake now ...like _me_."

_Did you touch him?_ That was the nagging small voice banging against his skull. _What if something happened between them while they were drunk? What if they kissed? I trust Lukas…_

Emil huffed out and walked over to the bathroom without gifting Mathias any more of his precious energy.

"Turn off the light, Emil! Ya little shit!" was all he heard as he stripped down to his birthday suit to shower away all of the filth, sweat, and grime of his work shift.

_...I just don't trust Mathias._

Lukas had just started to enter his dreamland; engrossed and relishing the vivid actions of his subconsciousness state. Well, that is until he was rudely awoken by Mathias and Emil shouting in the living room. To top it off, the roaring of shower water running adjacent to his bedroom did not help him drift back asleep.

Struggling to obtain ten more minutes of rest, he groaned out from his hammering headache once the shower ceased its sound. He reluctantly sat up, feeling lightheaded as his insides turned. He was struggling to keep whatever was left in his stomach down.

When they returned to the apartment, Lukas barely made it to the toilet.

Mathias was no help at all. His dumbass self went straight to the kitchen and ate the leftovers that were saved for Emil.

There were two hesitant knocks against the bedroom door.

"Lukas? Uhm, are you awake?" It was Emil's voice.

"Yes?" He croaked out from where he sat up on his spacious bed, holding his stomach. Sliding off and placing his feet firmly against his bedside rug, he licked his chapped lips as he crossed the floor to open his door. He stepped out and shut the door behind him gracefully.

"Are you... okay? I… I'm sorry if I woke you up." Emil's flushed cheeks went unnoticed in the dim lit area. His heartbeat sped up at the pair of sleepy indigo eyes staring back at him. They were standing so close. Too close. Emil stepped backwards with a trembling, chilled water bottle in his right hand.

"Oh, I'm fine and don't worry, Emil." His eyes surveyed the object in Emil's quivering hand.

"Here," he handed Lukas the water and bit his bottom lip with avoidant eyes.

He seized hold of the water bottle, wincing at the drastic contrast in temperature and let his fingertips brush lightly over his roommate's fingers.

"Thank y-"

An obnoxious, wretched sound hurled itself from the living room as the light switch was smacked off. Darkness shrouded the entire apartment and Emil stood there anxiously.

Lukas reached out to grab Emil's hand, but regretfully stopped himself when he noticed Emil hastily spun away to whisper a "goodnight".

* * *

Confident knocks sounded off behind the securely locked door before Lukas's peaceful voice broke through the barrier between them.

"Emil, I made breakfast. Join me?"

"Y-Yeah, one minute." He crossed the room to search through his disorganized closet.

His favorite _boy pablo_ pastel blue, indie band t-shirt was yanked down over his head, concealing his torso. His legs were hugged in a pair of dark, forest green, jersey knit pants. Finger combing his bedhead in vain, he swiftly opened his door.

Stepping backwards, he was not expecting his roommate to actually crawl out of his cave. He pursued his lips, twisted around from Emil's downcast eyes, and led him into the kitchen.

"Sorry about last night…" The clang of the bowl and spoon followed Emil's apology. The periwinkle speckled bowl was filled with steaming porridge. A sprinkle of cinnamon and a pinch of dried cranberries decorated it beautifully.

"I should apologize for…" Lukas trailed off, considering his choice of words, "Mathias. He gets out of control sometimes." He collected his breakfast and claimed the spot across Emil. Their eyes met at the same time and glanced down at their meals in unison.

Emil scooped a favorable sized portion of his porridge, slid his eyes closed, and hummed in delight. As soon as he opened them, he caught Lukas staring intently at him; awestruck and a fleeting cockiness gracing his fine features.

"O-Oh sorry. It's so…" His shaky voice dissipated in contrast to burning cheeks that he couldn't hide.

Refusing to look up, he missed the smile that tugged on Lukas's lips before a spoon full of porridge disappeared between his lips.

A peaceful quietness descended over them as they enjoyed the flavorful breakfast together.

"There's a nice park in town that I think you'd like," Lukas mentioned aloud after scraping the rest of the porridge from the bottom of his bowl. He stood up abruptly, pushing the last spoonful of his meal past his lips and placed the bowl under the faucet in the sink.

Sanitizing the kitchen stove and counters, he hummed to himself an unfamiliar tune as a jumbled mess of thoughts marched through his mind.

_Should I invite him to a picnic? Maybe we can go to a coffee shop_ , he shook his head and placed the other cooking utensils in the sink to soak. _No, I just told him about that park. We could go fishing- there's a lake there._

Lukas hummed to himself and sighed out at his unorganized, internal planning. _This is weird. I've never had any difficulties with deciding before. Emil, what've ya done to me?_

"Thank you for the breakfast, Lukas." Light violet orbs strayed to the side before meeting up with a mesmerizing pair of indigo hues.

"You're welcome, " he took the bowl from Emil's hands, "I'm glad you enjoy my cooking."

There was a pause of awkward stillness when Emil attempted to assist Lukas. There wasn't much to do once the bubbles formed in the sink and the clanging of glasses broke the tension.

"A park?"

Lukas bobbed his head, storing two spoons in a dish drying rack cup. "Yes, it's beautiful, quiet, and not many people know about it."

"...Kinda like you?" Emil slapped a hand over his mouth, but the words already left his mouth. _Stop flirting! He's your roommate. It will be awkward if he doesn't feel the same way and-_

Arching both of his blonde brows, his eyes widened as he stepped backwards to create a distance between them.

"Are you… flirting with me?"

"Wha- Wait, uhm, no…Th-That's weird- wait, I meant... Why would I do that? You're my roommate."

The corners of Lukas's mouth tugged downwards at the feigned laughs chucking themselves from Emil's mouth. He stretched his arm across his chest, eyes flickering away from him.

"Oh, yeah," his voice was distant when his arms fell to his sides. "That would be weird, huh?"

_Fuck, fuck, I messed up... again!_ His eyes screwed tightly when Lukas brushed it off and straightened out a hand towel nearby.

_Say something to him!_ Emil chomped down on the inside of his cheek anxiously and waited until Lukas departed from the small kitchen. Sighing heavily, he looked up in agony at his mistake with spread fingers that clenched into shaky fists by his sides.

He heard Lukas's bedroom door close with a click and heaved another sigh before stiffly seeking refuge in his own room.

_Why was Lukas so upset with me telling him what was obvious?_

Flopping down onto his bed, he squinted his eyes at the ceiling and hummed regretfully.

"Wait a minute…" He whispered to himself; his mind slowly registered what just happened.

_Lukas asked if I was flirting… and yes- I was. Then, he asked me if I just flirted with him… he looked surprised._

"Was he surprised in a good way or a bad way? And even then…" he mumbled to himself before returning back to his internal monologue.

_He looked upset when I denied it. So, what does all of this mean? He's so hard to figure out!_

"Ugh, _fuck_. Today already sucks," Emil bemoaned a great regret and cocooned in his soft, navy blue comforter, "and it just started."

Yawning and stretching his legs, he curled back into himself and slid his glistening eyes shut.

Inside of Lukas's room, he mulled over what transpired between them. It was the second occurrence since they started to finally break ice and get along after a few months of living together.

_He's so hot and cold._ An exhale of disbelief slipped past his lips like an unexpectedly gust of wind through a flowery valley.

_Why is he sweet to me and then frantic?_

He shook his head with a bitter expression. _It's almost as if he is sending me mixed messages… mixed signals of how he feels._

"Whatever… I need to distract myself," he mumbled to himself and swiped his fully charged phone from the bedside table.

His eyes scanned over his playlist and he turned up the volume to drown out all of his thoughts about the situation.

"No," he paused the music after the second songs started to play, "I need to talk to him."

Sitting up and focusing intently on his closed bedroom door, he nibbled on his bottom lip at his bold decision. "I need to clear things up. I want to figure him out." _If he doesn't want to make a move, then it's up to me._

Gathering every ounce of confidence that he managed to acquire after his pep talk, he went straight to Emil's bedroom door and knocked repeatedly until he heard Emil respond with a muffled "yes?".

"Let's go get some fresh air."

* * *

Wisps of October gusts blew through their hair and the fallen leaves blanketed the dead grass beneath their shoes. The serene look on Lukas's face sent a loving shiver through Emil's body. He lowered his lids as they walked mindlessly in the direction of a quaint coffee shop across the street from the sparsely populated park.

_They must not get much business._ Emil thought to himself, not paying attention to anyone else. It was void of customers, except for a familiar face behind the counter.

"Welcome to Cool Beans- hey, I know you!" The light, wavy haired brunette behind the counter exclaimed with a friendly chuckle and wave of his hand. He treated Emil like his best friend; he was his regular at Bahama Mama's.

Yes, Emil knew all about his personal issues from his life struggles to the toxic relationship he was trapped in for nearly half a decade to some family issues.

Lukas felt a pang of jealousy in that sudden moment when the Luxembourger rounded the counter to give Emil an uninvited hug.

_Who's this guy?_ Lukas's hardened stare went unnoticed by the two embracing. It wasn't very often that he felt this type of emotion. He always was certain to forbid it from plaguing him.

To his internal relief, Emil did not return the same affection; he pushed the other away with an uneased shudder of rejection.

Puffing out his chest, Lukas narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the gregarious worker. The temptation of wrapping his arms around Emil's waist was undeniably challenging for him to resist.

"Stop it," Emil reprimanded quietly yet firmly, "...not here. Shouldn't you be a little more professional?"

Ignoring Emil's sarcastic remark, his eyes illuminated at the sight of Lukas's poker face behind them.

"And who is _this_ , Emil?"

"Lukas. My, uh..."

_My boyfriend._ He wanted more than anything to claim him as such, but instead scratched the back of his head when he introduced him as:

"My roommate."

"Lukas?" He smirked at the said blonde and planted a hand on his hip; a hint of mischievousness crossing his face, "I know someone who is interested in _you_."

"Huh?" Both Emil and Lukas reacted simultaneously and then stared at Luca in bewilderment.

He chuckled at their twin reactions and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, despite the enthusiasm in his words.

"My brother likes you. He's too shy to say anything, but he's a great guy."

Emil glared at him before staring down at the floor in displeasure.

_Who is his brother? I thought they were having family issues?_

"I'm flattered," he turned away to look off into the distance and then returned his eyes to Luca over his shoulder, "but I'm not interested."

"Oh, please! He's a great guy. He owns his own business and he's a gentleman. I mean- oops!"

He facepalmed at his assuming nature, "Are you even into guys?"

Now, things were getting uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable and the atmosphere started to drop in temperature.

Sighing out, he straightened his posture and muttered, "I'm not really in the mood for coffee now."

He was in a depressingly irritated mood. It wasn't like Emil had never seen him in his mood before; it was usually hidden. Although, he saw it from afar.

He chewed the inside of his cheek and fisted his hands at his sides. He knew for a fact that Lukas was a coffee addict.

There was no way that he would allow Luca to disrespect him like that and ruin their... their date?

Emil shook his head at the wishful thought and cleared his throat.

He fumbled with his wallet from his back pocket as Luca returned behind the counter.

"We'll just get two regular coffees, please." Luca nodded as he punched in the orders and accepted the cash before preparing the hot beverages.

"Emil," Lukas rubbed his arm and stood there feeling guilty at how he behaved, "you didn't have to do that for me."

Flushed cheeks were hidden away from the pair of indigo eyes as he grabbed the two coffees from the counter. Luca raised an eyebrow at Emil's reaction- he had never seen him react that way before to anyone.

"See you later, Emil. And Lukas- just consider it!" Luca's voice reached their ears before the door shut behind them.

* * *

Emil felt sick to his stomach, despite the ideal weather embracing them. _Who was Luca talking about?_

"I'm sorry," Emil apologized the moment they crossed the street leading to the park. Lukas shook his head, nursing the coffee in his hands and scoffed lightly when his steps faltered before the edge of the grass.

"Why? You did nothing wrong." It was true, though. Emil wasn't at fault for anything- no, it was his so-called friend who was out of line.

"Luca…" Emil trailed off then cleared his throat, "Luca has a lot of issues going on in his life."

_Don't we all?_ Lukas looked down as his feet drove forward to slap against the wooden bridge near the river.

"And," Emil sighed out when they approached a towering willow tree, "he's not the best person to, uh, well... take advice from."

Lukas mirrored Emil's body that carefully settled on the grass.

"Nobody's perfect. Sometimes we tend to put people on a pedestal right from the start and," his eyes connected with a pair of lavender and then snapped downwards as he sipped on his coffee, "we tend to forget that they are human- just like us."

Sipping cautiously on his coffee cup, he mulled over Lukas's words. He avoided looking up at his crush and cradled the cup in his hands. His racing thoughts jumped through hoops, struggling to connect the dots.

"I don't like him, if that's what you're getting at!"

Chucking under his breath at Emil's reaction, Lukas plucked a few shards of grass by his sides. "Never assumed ya did."

"Well," Emil shook his head and stood up as he said, "I'm, uh, I don't know… he's just... not someone you want to be around."

Silence.

"Emil," Lukas rose up abruptly, "I know a secret spot in this park that you might like."

He finished the coffee and tossed it in the nearby trash can. Emil hastily gulped down his coffee, making his eyes tear up at the hot liquid pooling in his stomach. He coughed, effectively grabbing Lukas's undivided attention. After understanding what just happened, Lukas slowed down his pace and laughed at his flustered Emil.

"Copycat," he teased as they walked over to an area shaded by a gigantic oak tree and settled down.

"As if!" Emil laughed, feeling slightly offended since it was not a _complete_ lie.

Lukas loosely crossed his legs and scooted closer to Emil, who leaned his back against the tree's trunk with criss crossed legs. He couldn't look at Lukas, despite his urges to press himself against his beloved's arm.

A mysteriously cozy ambience encompassed their bodies. Light inhales and exhales mingled with the distant caws of the birds flying by. The faint fragrance of Lukas's sandalwood cologne and sweat infiltrated Emil's nostrils as he pretended to stretch and scoot closer to his object of affection.

Then, he was struck with uncertainty and tumbled back to Earth. _Oh my god, I need to back off._

He held his breath and retreated back to create enough a respectable, plantonic distance. Lukas, much to his chagrin, witnessed it and looked sullen.

_Every time he seems to want to get close, he keeps pulling away._ Lukas tugged on a few shards of grass near the tree's thick roots and fidgeted with them as he stole a fleeting glance at Emil. His fingers struggled to tie the grass shards together, but they broke every time he pulled it into a knot.

"Lukas?"

He glanced over to his roommate and sent him a questioning look.

"What is it?" He inched closer to let their kneecaps touch.

"If you could ask me one question, and… and I had to answer truthfully," Emil gulped at the contact, "what would you ask me?"

Lukas straightened up as the torn grass plummeted from his pinched fingers onto his lap. He relaxed into himself, tilted his head back, hunched forward, and turned to face Emil completely.

There were so many obvious questions that he could ask. He pressed his spread out fingers together at their tips and formed a triangle to consider this loaded question.

_Do you like me?_ Lukas immediately stiffened up at what he wanted so desperately to vocalize and looked away; extremely fearful of the answer he might hear if he did.

"Let me think," Lukas squinted his eyes into the distance to buy more time to carefully choose his words.

Emil didn't mind waiting; frightful and fidgeting next to the one he fantasized being this close to in his journal.

"How was your life in your old town?"

"It was..." Emil's voice was barely audible as a gust of wind pushed him to answer the question, "very bad."

Lukas raised an eyebrow before they knitted together sympathetically. _Maybe that is why he is the way he is._

Lukas couldn't stop himself from prying more into Emil's life. He truly wanted to know more about him beyond the surface.

"Can I…" Emil's voice pulled Lukas back to reality, "can I ask you something?"

Lukas nodded at Emil's flushed face and stared at him. The next words that trickled out of Emil's mouth surprised him. The shapes and lines of his plush lips, his English words with Icelandic intonations, the stammering, and the worry etched on his face.

"Are you and, uh, Mathias…uhm, y'know, like... I-I dunno." He hesitated, searching Lukas's face briefly before averting his eyes downwards, "I'm sorry, that was a stupid..."

Lukas raised his eyebrows, catching onto what Emil was casting into the water.

_Ah, I see now. That makes sense._ "He's just my friend. We've been friends since middle school," Lukas explained, rubbing the back on his head and chuckled softly at Emil's assumption.

Coughing uncomfortably at asking the question he had kept inside since he met Mathias, he lifted himself shakily to his feet. His heart was racing at the newfound information.

"I think we should go home. It's getting late now," Lukas voiced what Emil was thinking as he mirrored his actions.

"Yeah…" His voice was as distant as the moon from the Earth. He felt a pang of regret; something fizzing inside, teeming and threatening to explode into a burst of colorful emotions.

_I think I just messed up again. He probably thinks that I'm… I dunno, I honestly don't even know._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me hear what you think so far! Thank you again my lovelies!


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, as you may know, I have gone through a rough patch recently.
> 
> Good news: I discovered that chapter five was typed out in my google docs. So, I added some stuff here and there to lengthen it. I had some nice artwork for this chapter, but I seemed to have lost it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. 
> 
> Slightly upsetting news: Chapter six was not prepared, so I will need time to plan my thoughts and write that one out.
> 
> Also, I put 7 chapters, but there could potentially be more than that.
> 
> Without further ado, let's go!
> 
> \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Five

* * *

_Ding!_

The chime grabbed him away from his writing and he read over his message from his boss.

It was a group chat between multiple people.

_Emil, you have the night off. Meeting at 8:30 PM next Saturday. New location. The address is below. Do not be late._

Saturday seemed to have arrived faster than Emil could register it in his hectic mind. 

Exhaling heavily as the pads of his thumbs tapped in the address, he calculated that his new travel time was even further, much to his disdain. He tapped his foot lightly against the grimy floor of the subway. His eyes floated over to the crowd of passengers awaiting their ride to wherever they were going. He stepped off of the subway and carried himself up the stairs that led him to a flourishing city of bustling crowds. 

If he believed that his previous work area was busy, then now he would be proven utterly wrong. 

The subway was further from the new nightclub. That could pose a problem if he were to run behind schedule in the future.

Smoothing down the strays of his unruly bangs, he mentally prepared himself to adjust himself to this new area of town that was filled with tourists.

The interior was astonishing; the flaming, pink neon lettering buzzed quietly against the building amongst the outside chatter.

“Oh my god, girl hurry.” A singsong voice could be heard nearby, “This club is new and poppin’!” 

For a second, Emil swore he’d seen this girl from his old city. Stealing a hasty glance, he confirmed that he knew her from mutual friends.

_Oh great..._ Emil smoothed his hair once more and exhaled deeply.

Shrugging it off, he pushed past the glass doors and nodded at the towering, Swedish bouncer an unspoken greeting. 

Over towards the back hosted a group of employees gathering at a table.

“Okay. Emil is here,” Lars noted audibly as he watched the young man claim a seat nearby. 

Vlad was already present; his grin displayed on his face at not being the last one to show up. 

“Everyone needs to get serious,” Lars started up while shuffling a stack of papers. “I’m hiring more employees now that we are in a busy part of town.”

Vlad snickered at what his boss said. He didn’t need to hire more employees. That would steal his regulars and soon to be regulars from him.

“Something funny, Vlad?” All eyes rested on the Romanian bartender.

“No, not at all. Just thinking about all of the newbies I will have to train.” The cockiness spilled from his lips, effectively irking Lars.

“How confident. Perhaps I should allow Emil to train them. He’s made faster progress.”

Vlad swiftly looked away with heated cheeks; embarrassment on full display and a hint of resentment towards his younger coworker.

* * *

Emil’s ashen blonde locks swayed in the autumn wind. He secured his forest green scarf around his neck as he stepped into a quaint library that he searched for on his phone earlier in the day.

His mind wandered back to how Lukas looked at him that morning as he rummaged through the fantasy section. With a shake of his head, he felt his face heating up. 

_Focus, Emil. Focus._ He shook his head to clear his thoughts. _Ugh, it’s not like I’m head over heels for Lukas. No way, besides..._

He sighed quietly, muttering under his breath when nobody was around, “He’s my roommate. It’s _wrong_.”

He groaned to himself as his nimble fingers danced along with the variety of colorful spines. The magic and folklore piqued his interest. His lavender orbs danced over to a book about trolls and fairies. 

_Ah, perfect!_

He hastily snatched the dark violet hardback book. He loved to read books. It was the perfect escape from reality. 

Before he managed to depart from the fascinating section of books, a deep-sea blue book on Norsk Mythology tugged him backward.

“I need to check out these books.” He set the books on the counter in front of a sun-kissed woman clad in a royal blue blouse and thick, silver-rimmed glasses.

Muttering an exhausted “okay,” she massaged them against a metal platform. After two beeps, they were pushed forward with ease. With a curt nod, he accepted them and pivoted on his heel to leave without another word.

The streets were rather busier than normal for a Sunday afternoon. Scanning the crosswalk area, he slapped a grey button to cross the traffic. Cars slowed down, screeching to a halt seconds before he stepped forward. As he was crossing with four other strangers, someone brushed past him in the opposing direction unintentionally. 

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

Emil slipped his cell phone out of his pocket as soon as his foot hit the familiar sidewalk that would lead him straight back to the apartment complex. The unique cracks along the cement whispered their guidance as he tapped on the new text messages that flooded his inbox. It was an unknown number.

_Emil! don’t block my number again. Just hear me out ok? Your parents aren’t mad at u so you should totally come back. U know how I feel about u and we had so much together_

Heaving a huge sigh as he stepped over a chunk of missing cement, he reluctantly answered his ex-boyfriend. 

_I don’t want you. Just leave me alone. I’m better off now…_ Emil frowned at what he typed. His thumb bounced against backspace and he retyped a different response.

_Who is this?_ Emil pressed send and waited only two seconds before a sound indicated a new message. A chill raced down his spine and the tiny hairs on his neck raised, fear swallowing his sanity.

_Don’t lie to me, Emil. I like saw u cross the street_

Instantly looking up in a pure panic, his orbs scanned the surrounding area as he hastened his clumsy steps towards the direction of a gas station that was in the opposite direction of where he resided. He pushed the glass door open, books clutched under his armpit with his quivering cellphone in hand.

Another text message made him visibly flinch as he wandered through an aisle surrounded by snacks.

_stop running from me. I saw u the other night at the bar. U think I’m like stupid don’t u?_

_Leave me alone Leon. I will call the police if you don’t stop!_

“Emil?” 

The two library books collided with the grimy gas station floor and his phone barely held on to his hand.

“No!” A surprised yelp tore through his throat when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist from behind him. Squeezing his eyes shut, he spun around once the constricting arms loosened their grip. 

“Calm down,” the familiar voice grounded him, “it’s just me, Vlad.” 

His coworker. 

It was just Vlad.

“Don’t do that!” A growl followed after his demand. Vlad collected the abandoned books from the floor and handed them back. An expression of worry flashed over his usually happy-go-lucky face. 

“Emil,” his hand cupped the shorter male’s cheek, “what’s going on?”

_Nothing, just leave me alone!_ “Nothing.” _Everything is wrong, can’t you see?_

“I don’t believe you,” Vlad countered, watching as Emil swatted him away.

“It’s nothing for you to concern yourself with.” 

Vlad sighed at his reluctance while his amber orbs followed the retreating body out of the gas station.

* * *

Ten minutes rolled by before Emil stepped into the apartment with the two books cradled against his chest. He was still jumpy but managed to ground himself. 

Lukas shut his bedroom door as the front door closed behind Emil. Their eyes locked for two seconds before Emil bit his bottom lip, looking away from his object of affection. 

“Something on your mind?” Lukas inquired softly, eyes following Emil’s motions. Something in his roommate’s demeanor had changed since this morning.

“N-No…” The books flew down on the floor, creating a deafening clatter in the silent apartment. He tensed up as he unlaced his black converses, “I’m okay. Nothing’s wrong.”

Collecting the books, he scampered over to his sanctuary- his bedroom. The place where he could relax his shoulders, unwind behind a good novel, and daydream while writing in his journal.

Lukas hummed lowly, watching as his roommate fumbled with his bedroom key to unlock the door. He twisted away and set to work in the kitchen. He heard the beep of the preheated oven and opened the oven’s door to push in a tray of raw cookies. 

He knew Emil loved them. 

_Maybe my cookies will cheer him up_ , Lukas pressed against the cooking timer button multiple times to increase the time, _last time I made them, he ate almost all of them._

The corners of his lips stretched upwards at the peculiar feeling that swirled in his chest.

After he set the cooking timer to the set amount of time, his feet brought him back into the living room. He grabbed the remote, powered up the television, and plopped down on the bouncy sofa. 

Pulling out his phone, he checked for any new text messages. There were none.

“Huh,” he breathed out with a raised brow as his eyes skimmed over the meme that Mathias had sent him last night.

_Hm, that’s strange. Mathias is always sending me texts._

He slid out of his text messages and tapped on his favorite game app. It was a strategy game. Fantasy characters going to war. Lukas found that boredom would strike if he didn’t continuously multitask. 

_Bing!_

Arching his brow, his curious eyes scanned over the text message from Emil. That was strange. 

_Lukas… I need to tell you something._

His heart raced at what he read, but he took a deep inhale and calmed himself. He didn’t bother replying. Instead, he stood up and walked over to the younger man’s bedroom. 

“Emil?” Lukas knocked twice before the door slowly opened.

Lavender orbs were downcast, arms crossed against his chest, lower lip jutting out childishly. He glanced up finally and opened his mouth. Lukas held his breath. He became fixated on Emil’s pouty lips for a moment.

Inhaling deeply, he sputtered out the first thing that entered his mind, “Wh-Where is my bag of licorice?”

Lukas deadpanned. _Really? I thought it was something serious._

“I didn’t mess with it. Are you sure you didn’t eat all of them?”

Emil grumbled, face heating a bubblegum pink hue. He hated how his body knew no boundaries when he tried to control his emotions. 

“Yeah, well…” Emil trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck and turning his face to the side. He read online that he could get his crush’s attention by making conversation and being straightforward. 

_Damn that ridiculous Wiki article!_

“Are you hungry?” Lukas arched his brow and smirked, “Ye seem ‘hangry’, y’know ‘hungry and angry’.”

Emil watched Lukas cross his arms and lean against the door frame. Some strands of blonde hair escaped his cross pin. Clearing his throat, he shifted from one foot to the other before pushing past Lukas. The door shut firmly behind him, hiding away all of his secrets.

He was beyond embarrassed to be called out. Moreover, he had honest intentions. He studied and tried to apply what he learned from the stupid article that he found online. Alas, one shouldn’t trust editable articles.

Lukas shook his head with a smile that went unnoticed by Emil as he trailed behind him into the narrow kitchen space.

The fridge opened slowly and Emil bent over to collect the ingredients to make himself a sandwich: Meat, cheese, tomato, onions, mayo, and lettuce. The bread was stored in the cabinet above the stove.

Lukas walked up behind him and _accidentally_ brushed his backside with his hand. Emil’s breath hitched as his body flinched and straightened up from the unexpected contact. Lukas stood closely behind Emil, placing his hands onto Emil’s waist. 

“You know I like to make your lunch,” Lukas admitted smoothly, “Just go and sit down while I make us lunch.”

Emil's heart throbbed in his chest and his skin crawled at Lukas’s words. He rubbed the back of his head after he placed the food on the counter. “You don’t have to make me lunch.”

“I don’t have to, but I want to. Go sit.”

“I’m not a dog!” Emil fussed, cheeks burning as he obeyed, albeit begrudgingly. 

Five minutes later, Lukas emerged from the kitchen and placed a plate down with a sandwich on it in front of Emil. He was reading a book in his lap.

_Is that… Norsk Mythology?_ Lukas wondered when he caught a glimpse of Freya on one of the glossy pages. _Interesting._

Suddenly his cellphone chirped at him and he placed his plate down on the glass top table. It was a message from his best friend.

_Hey Lukie! I’m coming over lol_

_No._

_OMW buddy_

“Emil,” Lukas started up as he claimed his spot on the sofa and picked up his sandwich, “Mathias is coming over in a little bit.”

Emil nodded over the sandwich that he made for him. It was indescribably delicious. Lukas had a natural talent for cooking. He gulped the bite down and mumbled out, “Cool.” 

He didn’t want Mathias over here. This would be the _third_ day in a row this week. He might as well live here since he spends so much time with them- well, with Lukas.

* * *

Not even thirty minutes rolled by before Emil cringed at the beatbox against the front door. Mathias’s voice was muffled by the thick door frame until Lukas unlocked it and pulled it towards him to let the extrovert inside of the apartment. More like a hyperactive bull in a glass figurine shop. 

Mathias could be perfectly described as one of those rambunctious football players in high school- you know, the one who has all of the girls and guys falling head over heels for him.

“Man, Lukas. If looking sexy was a crime,” Mathias started up his cheesy compliments when the door sealed close behind him, “then you’d be on death row.” 

The complemented blonde shook his head and padded his sock-clad feet over to the L-shaped couch.

Emil stared intensely at Mathias from the lounge chair, legs crossed with a book settled in his lap. _Doesn’t he get tired of this annoying idiot?_

“What up, Ice-y!” Emil frowned at his new nickname. He had been given the nickname a few days ago when he stormed out of the living room when Mathias started to get loud. 

He preferred quietness- not the overpowering voice of Lukas’s _best friend_. They claimed that they were just friends, but the way Mathias acted around Lukas made him think differently.

“Stop calling me ‘Icey’.” 

Mathias pouted and whined, “But, you _are_ ‘icy’, Icey. You always give me the cold shoulder!”

Lukas shook his head with a soft scoff and walked into the kitchen to bring out a tray of buttery shortbread cookies for them to munch on.

As soon as the tray was set on the table, Emil’s body leaned forward, sandwiching his book between his chest and lap to grab two cookies. He wouldn’t admit it, but he _loved_ Lukas’s baking.

“Looks like _someone_ likes your cookies, Lukie!” He plucked a cookie and bit down, humming in delight, and cleared his throat. 

“I have an announcement to make!” He glanced from Emil to Lukas. “My lease at my apartment ran out, so I wanted to ask you, Lukas,” turning to the named man, “if I can move in? You know I will pay rent and-” 

Emil stopped listening to anything else proceeding with the words ‘move-in’. 

_Like hell, he could stay here!_

Lukas sighed over his half-eaten cookie, eyes traveling over to his roommate, and noticed the troubled look that Emil was not even trying to mask.

“Only if you pay on time _every_ month. I’ll figure out how much you will owe me.” Emil’s eyes widened at what Lukas said and his eyes flickered over to Mathias’s grinning face. 

“This is perfect. I already have my stuff in my car. Emil,” he turned to the younger male who was avoiding eye contact, “I’m moving back into _my_ room, so maybe Lukas can lower your rent.” 

Emil stayed silent.

Everything was crashing down on him. 

All he wanted was to escape and hideaway. Now, Mathias was taking away his _only_ place of security? 

“Lukas,” Emil spoke up finally after gulping stiffly, “I don’t understand.” 

He didn’t want to leave Lukas- no, he had the biggest crush on him, and now- 

Now Mathias was coming into the picture!

“Emil, I’ll lower your rent to one hundred dollars,” he winced inwardly at the low price, “and Mathias, you will pay five hundred.” 

Part of Lukas hoped that the price would deter the Dane, but Mathias shrugged and smiled. 

“As long as I have a place to stay, then I will pay for it. Five hundred? No big deal, Lukie!” 

Emil’s world was spinning backward. He felt nauseated. 

Lukas sent him an apologetic look, but the payoff was worth it. Yes, Mathias worked a nine to five job, so Lukas would have to tolerate him from six until bedtime and the weekends. Emil worked evenings. Lukas would still spend time with Emil during the day when Mathias was away in the office. 

It was true- Mathias and Lukas discussed these matters two weeks ago and he told him he needed time to think it over. He weighed the pros and cons of the situation. It was a close tie, but Lukas found more positives than negatives to his decision.

_I can’t believe this is happening. Don’t I get a say in any of this?_ Emil sweatdropped, watching as Lukas and Mathias wheeled in his two gigantic red and black suitcases.

“Icey, come help me move your stuff out!” It wasn’t even a question. 

Emil grumbled under his breath. That was the last thing that he wanted to do!

* * *

By the time he folded the last shirt into his suitcase and tucked away his journal, he pursed his lips from exploding in a fit of anger. He was at a disadvantage. Mathias was Lukas’s best friend and prior roommate. 

Emil refused to remove the obvious scowl imprinted on his face. Mathias was ruining everything in his life. His life with Lukas. He was a rival in Emil’s eyes.

When Mathias was settled in his old bedroom, Lukas placed a hand on Emil’s shoulder. 

“Emil. You have options.” Lukas beckoned Emil to sit down with him on the sofa. “You can sleep on the sofa, move out, or stay with me.” His cheeks burned a little at what he said. Emil couldn’t look Lukas in the eyes after he heard that silken voice say, “My bed can fit two people.”

The smaller male slumped his shoulders. He was not thrilled about the second option. The first one was the best answer since the third option would give off the wrong message.

“Let me think it over, Lukas.” He huffed, cheeks warming up, “I’m sorry, but I’m not happy about this.” 

Lukas stayed quiet. He liked having Emil around, so he decided to let him take his time with his decision. It was a lot to handle.

“I guess,” Emil started up, eyes glued to his suitcase pressed up against the armchair, “I want my privacy. It’s hard to have that when Mathias took it from me.” 

Lukas leaned forward to adjust himself. Emil realized how close they were sitting and a furious blush painted over his cheeks. He hesitated, “I… I don’t know… I guess I’ll stay…” He couldn’t finish his decision and stood up nervously. “I need to use the bathroom.”

Lukas’s eyes shook from left to right, scrutinizing his roommate for any signs that he might want to choose the third option. But Emil scurried away to the restroom, slamming it behind him. 

_Buzz. Buzz. Buzz._

Indigo orbs flickered over to Emil’s dejected phone bouncing against the glass surface. Glancing around suspiciously and leaning forward, he scooped it up and tapped on the screen to read the previews of the multiple text messages. Part of him was curious and then the other part regretted his snooping nature.

_WTF! Why do u leave me on read?_

_I know where u work and u can’t hide from me_

_U think your so smart_

_I miss u…_

_Emil! Answer me_

_wtf? This is totally not cool_

_Are u w/ someone else?_

_ANSWER ME EMIL_

The person on the other end was sending the messages mere seconds apart. There was no way a rational human being could respond to the irate sender. 

Then, a new message popped up. Lukas’s heart sank south at what it read.

_Fuck u stupid whore. I really hate u! Nobody will ever love u like me cuz u are totally worthless. You can’t run from your past forever... Ur parents never approved of us cuz YOU failed them. I’m the one for u so don’t forget that_

Engrossed and thrown off guard from the last message, Lukas didn’t hear Emil’s footsteps approaching from the bathroom into the living room. It wasn’t until the phone filled with psychotic abuse was ripped out of his hands that his spirit jumped out of his skin. 

He stammered, looking away from Emil. “I was going to find you and-” He paused, “I didn’t read too much.”

Emil ignored his roommate’s excuse, although he felt betrayed. The phone quaked in his hands, eyes skimming over the grey bubbled messages from Leon. Emil’s face scrunched up, eyes watered, and bottom lip quivered. 

“Emil…” Lukas hesitated briefly before he bolted up to take Emil into his arms. 

Petting his head gingerly, he shushed his roommate. “You are safe with me, Emil. Look at me.” His voice was barely above a whisper as he drew himself back to wipe away the hot tear that escaped. 

“You’re safe,” he reassured firmly and guided them towards his bedroom.

“Why are we going…” Emil squeaked out with a few sniffles, “to your room?” 

Stopping abruptly in front of his bedroom door, he placed a hand on Emil’s shoulder, “I don’t want you to be alone. I can see it in your eyes, Emil.” 

Silence.

“I know you’re hurting… but you’re not alone, okay?” 

Emil’s throat constricted at the softness of Lukas’s tone. “I will never hurt you, Emil. But, if you don’t want to, then you don’t have to.” 

Emil never experienced this side of Lukas. Was this the same person he’s been living with?

Taking a moment to let it all sink in, Emil released a shaky breath. His life was getting worse. Leon was hot on his trail and Lukas’s _best friend_ was living with them now.

Emil accepted his invitation and trailed behind Lukas as they passed through the threshold.

_Please… don’t lead me on, Lukas._

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, Comments, Bookmarks, and Subscribes are greatly appreciated! :) xoxo  
> Stay tuned!  
> Follow me on tumblr: fengsuave123


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